31 May 2009

I'm going to try something a bit different this week and list all of my items on Etsy rather than splitting them between Etsy and Ebay. All of these items and more are being added to the boutique tonight so be sure to check it out. Thanks so much!

I know I do quite a few posts about things I buy but there are many, many more things that I see and like but don't buy. If funds were unlimited you could bet that all of these pieces would be hanging in my closet.

The 30s crochet top is being sold in a lot with another 30s blouse on Etsy. I'm quite fond of this pretty peachy one but not so much of the other one. I'd hate to pay for two tops only to wear one of them. The black Lyell blouse is listed on Ebay. I see Lyell pieces on Ebay quite a bit and always watch them but never bid because the price usually skyrockets right at the last moment. As far as I know, they're both still available if anyone is interested.

The 30s crochet dress (I'm sensing a pattern here!) was on Ebay. It ended up selling for $52 which really isn't that bad, I don't think. I'm definitely going to be keeping my eye out for more 30s crochet pieces. The last one that got away wasn't so much because I was being good but because I was just a bit unlucky. It's a pretty silk blouse from the 20s that was being sold on Ebay. The price sat at just .99 cents for days and days. I figured if it didn't budge I'd put in a low bid and see what happened, only the auction was ending at a weird time when I knew I wouldn't be around to bid. I signed up with one of those free auction sniper programs so I'd be sure to get my bid in. Well, it turns out I must have done something wrong when I signed up because my bid was never placed! The top ended up selling for just $8. What a heartbreaker. Oh, well. Somebody out there got a great deal!

29 May 2009

I was super excited when I was contact by Little Thing Magazine to take part in their new issue. I'd never been lucky enough to lay my hands on a copy but the scans I'd seen online were so nice I felt honored to be included. I just received my copy in the mail today and I must say, they did such a wonderful job putting the piece together. I was a bit giddy as I flipped through the magazine and came upon all of my photos so prettily laid out on the pages.

And the rest of the magazine is just as nice! Of course I can't read a word of it but with so many beautiful photos to look at, that's hardly an issue. Here's a bit of the Q&A that I sent in (I'm not sure how much of this they actually used):

Can you give us a brief intro of yourself, background?My name is Jennifer and I live in Pennsylvania. I am originally from Alabama and also lived in Los Angeles for three years. I started Sally Jane Vintage about a year and a half ago while I was living in LA.

How has your day been so far?Right now it's pouring down snow outside so I'm bundled up on the couch with my cat. The fire is going in the fireplace and I'm drinking hot cocoa. So far it's good!

How would you describe your style?My style is eclectic and nostalgic. I love mixing vintage pieces with new pieces. It seems I have two sides - one very delicate and feminine and the other a bit of a tom-boy.

If people could take one feeling or message from your styling, what would you want it to be?Wear what you love no matter the trends. Just be yourself and have confidence and you'll look good in anything. Cliche, but so true!

How do you normally come up with a concept for a style?I take inspiration from everything around me. It may be a photo on a street style blog or a character in a movie or just colors in a painting.

Who is your favourite designer?Hands down Emma Fletcher for Lyell. I could live in her clothes everyday.

Can you describe the so-called FASHION in your definition?There's a quote that says "fashion fades, style is eternal". A personal style is always more appealing than what is "in fashion".

What types of material interest you most?As much as I am pining for spring at the moment my favorite materials are ones worn in colder weather. Something about tweeds and wools and plaids always make me feel nostalgic.

Name some items you like to collect in life?I'm a collector by nature. Vintage dresses for one thing! I also collect anything with birds on it, vintage sewing supplies and vintage cameras. I would like to start collecting vintage luggage.

What’s your favorite little things?My favorite little things are my cats! I have a rescued stray named Jack that only has one eye and one ear and he's my constant companion.

28 May 2009

To say that I'm a fan of the AMC show Mad Men is a bit of an understatement. If all television shows were this good I might never leave the couch (I guess it's a good think that they aren't). But you don't have to be a fan of the show to appreciate the Mad Men illustration series by Dyna Moe. Done up in the early 60s advertising style in which the show is set, they each perfectly capture a moment from the show; Betty's post party meltdown, Joan va-va-vooming her way through the office, Don screwing his life up once again with a bottle and a woman. I love the dichotomy of those dark moments illustrated with such playful style and cheery colors. My only complaint (if I had one at all) is there are only a few of Peggy's big moments. Yes, there's Peggy getting the gay makeover and Peggy taking over poor Freddy's office but I'd love to see more! How about Peggy telling Pete she had his baby?! Or Peggy enjoying the weight loss contraption a bit too much? Can you tell Peggy's my favorite character? I just love her. And while you're checking out the illustrations, don't miss the Joan paper dolls. If we could all be so well dressed!

I was trolling the internet looking for some photos or information about the recent Australian Fashion Week and was a bit disappointed at how little coverage there seemed to be of the event. Even the official RAFW site didn't offter much info or great photos of the show. That silly scrolling bar of photos that you have to balance your mouse over just perfectly in order to click was making me crazy! Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place? A lot of the photos that I found weren't labeled as to which designer they belonged so some of the pieces I liked, I have no idea who designed them.

One photo in particular caught my eye; a pretty pink flowy skirt with a lacy rufffled blouse on a model with hair loosely piled on her head. A lot of research and a little luck led me to find out it was from the SU Designs collection from designers Sonia Audino and Silvana Mancini.

26 May 2009

Remember the other day when I mentioned that I was admiring the new (old) bag that I found on Etsy? Well, here it is. I've been looking for a bag just like this for ages and ages so when I ran across this one on Etsy I knew I had to break my buying-ban and snatch it up before someone else bought it. The best part is the seller included the original ad for the bag when she shipped it. The fact that this bag came in not only basic black and brown but also in red and blue is kinda making my head spin. Can you imagine finding this bag in red?! That would be the holy grail of bags, I tell ya!

25 May 2009

I've spent the morning fawning over the items in Vain & Vapid's "sold items" on Etsy, in particular the Cecilia Lisbon dress. That's one of the things I love and hate about Etsy; you can spend way too much time looking through shops' sold items and lamenting the things you've missed out on. This one in particular is breakin' my heart. How many ways is it perfect? Let's see. Is it all floaty and airy with a ruffle detail, criss-crossed in the back and named after a character from The Virgin Suicides? Check, check, and check.

22 May 2009

I have always shied away from the color yellow. I always felt like it washed me out and was terribly unflattering. But somewhere along the line, just in the past couple of months really, I've begun to change my mind. I've been on the lookout for the perfect sunny yellow dress for summer. I've found lots of contenders - some way out of my price range (of course) and some a bit more attainable.

The one from Anthropologie is just the best. Why, Anthropologie, are you always reading my mind? Yellow? Check. Silk? Check. Ruffles? Check. But then there's that price tag, mocking me and my measly budget. So... in the end I'm passing on all of these lovelies and breaking out the sewing machine. I found a pattern that I like and I'm going to try my hand at sewing again. We'll see how it goes! 3.1 Phillip Lim, Topshop, ModCloth, Anthropologie, Built By Wendy, See by Chloe

21 May 2009

I've got lots of goodies in store for you over the next few days. Today I'm putting a few more things on Ebay and tomorrow I'll be updating the Etsy boutique. And most exciting, I'm heading out this evening with Tom to shoot the next set of the Professor's Collection. I'll be listing those pieces on Sunday afternoon. Thanks so much for stoppin' by!

19 May 2009

I feel like all the days spent suffering through the rain and the cold have finally paid off as the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming and the grass is pretty and green. I'm going to do everything I can to spend as much time outside as possible in the upcoming days. Things on my list to do: plan a picnic, go for a long walk, explore a new flea market and take photos for the next Professor's Collection update (coming this Sunday).

I'm still fairly new to Etsy. Not only new to selling on Etsy but also browsing around and seeing what other people are selling. For some reason I could never figure out the best way to search for things on Etsy and I just gave up and never really gave it much thought. Now I'm wishing I hadn't done that since I'm sure I missed out on lots and lots of great stuff. Oh, well. I'm discovering there are still lots of amazing things to be found. One of my favorite shops to browse through is Beautiful Reign. How can one person have so many pretty things?! If I hit the jackpot I'll be swooping up that out-of-this-world 40s bathing suit first thing! I'm also loving that 20s silk camisole in the perfect shade of peachy pink. And I've never in all my days seen anything quite like the quilt and shams made from old cigarette silks. Talk about being resourceful. All of those things may be out of my price range but the set of 30s linen kitchen towels is perfectly attainable at just $20. They are definitely going on my wish list.

18 May 2009

"Krazy Kat in 1920 was a "Bohemian joint in an old stable up near Thomas Circle ... (where) artists, musicians, atheists, professors" gathered. Miraculously the structure still stands, five blocks from the White House, as a gay bar called the Green Lantern. " - Independent Gay Forum

Hmmm... I think I want to go back in time and dress like a bohemian gypsy with a bob haircut and rolled down stockings, hang out in a tree house and have my portrait painted by a man named Cleon Throckmorton. Is that really too much to ask?

16 May 2009

This morning Tom and I woke early and headed to a local estate auction. It was being held at one of the big, old homes here and really we just wanted to be able to go inside the house and snoop around. The only clothes up for auction were men's and baby stuff (I have a sneaking suspicion that someone got to the women's clothes before the sale) so I didn't buy anything but there were a million other amazing things to make my head spin. The woman that lived in the house was an artist and her studio was still filled with oil portraits and charcoal sketches. She also collected art books and classical music on vinyl. There were also family photo albums filled with tiny tin-types, each lovingly hand labeled with names. Whenever I see something like that for sale I always wonder why someone in the family didn't hold onto it. Perhaps there's no family left? I was most tempted by a collection of well-worn stuffed animals but didn't want to stay all day waiting for them to be auctioned. So in the end, we left empty handed but at least we got to peek around inside the house.